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Contact Info

Skills

Main

Geoff Zahn, PhD

Translational mycology | Plant-Microbe symbiosis

Current responsibilities:

PI of Zahn microbial ecology lab (6 current students) | Associate editor of Mycologia | Mycology & Bioinformatics Teacher (12 credits/semester) | Bioinformatics consultant | PhD committee member (3 students) | Associate Department Chair (Biology) | Director of Bioinformatics Degree | R package developer

Professional Appointments

Associate Professor

Utah Valley University

Orem, UT

Current - 2023

Assistant Professor

Utah Valley University

Orem, UT

2023 - 2017

Postdoctoral Associate

University of Hawai`i at Manoa

Honolulu, HI

2017 - 2015


Education

Ph.D. in Biology

University of Arkansas

Fayetteville, AR

2015

B.S. in Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics

Missouri State University

Springfield, MO

2010


Selected Funding and Awards

Total funding: $1,373,494

Pending funding

Collaborative Research: Burning questions in microbial ecology: Ecological mechanisms that control microbiome transplant outcomes Co-PI | NSF DEB | $1,448,000

S-STEM: Faculty-Mentored Experiences for Improving Undergraduate Biology Student Outcomes PI | NSF DUE | $1,495,000

Myco-Ed: Mycological Curriculum for Education and Discovery Senior Personnel | JGI

Current funding:

Molecular predictors of mangrove holobiont assembly (Co-PI)

$180,000

Singapore MOE (IG20-SI003)

2025 - 2023

Faculty-Mentored Experiences for Improving Undergraduate Biology Student Outcomes (PI)

$972,287

NSF (DUE – 1833880)

2023 - 2018


Selected Relevant Publications

Google Scholar Profile | 28 Publications | H-index: 14

The core mangrove microbiome reveals shared taxa potentially involved in nutrient cycling and promoting host survival.

Wainwright BJ, Millar T, Bowen L, Semon L, Hickman KJE, Lee JN, Yeo ZY, & Zahn G. Environmental Microbiome

N/A

2023

Connecting the multiple dimensions of global soil fungal diversity

Mikryukov, V., Dulya, O., Zizka, A., … Zahn, G. … Tedersoo, L. Science Advances

N/A

2023

Inclusion of database outgroups reduces false positives in fungal metabarcoding taxonomic assignments.

Rawson C, & Zahn G. Mycologia 10.1080/00275514.2023.2206931

N/A

2023

Restoration of the mycobiome of the endangered Hawaiian mint Phyllostegia kaalaensis increases its resistance to a common powdery mildew.

Egan CP, Koko JH, Muir CD, Zahn G, Swift SOI, Amend AS, & Hynson NA. Fungal Ecology

N/A

2021

Foliar fungi alter reproductive timing and allocation in Arabidopsis under normal and water-stressed conditions.

Zahn G, & Amend AS. Fungal Ecology

N/A

2019

Fungal aerobiota are not affected by time nor environment over a 13-y time series at the Mauna Loa Observatory.

Zahn G, Tipton L, Datlof E, Kivlin SN, Sheridan P, Amend AS, & Hynson NA. PNAS

N/A

2019

Foliar microbiome transplants confer disease resistance in a critically-endangered plant.

Zahn G, & Amend AS. PeerJ 10.7717/peerj.4020

N/A

2017

Teaching and Mentoring

Designed a new Bioinformatics Degree Program

Experienced with univ. curriculum processes and accreditation

N/A

N/A

See teaching website for courses

Mycology | RStats/Data Analysis | Bioinformatics | Microbiomes

N/A

N/A

Research mentor

3 PhD, 2 MS, 38 Undergrad students

N/A

N/A


Selected Invited Presentations (most recent 3)

Translating mentored undergraduate research into student retention and success

National Science Foundation S-STEM Symposium

Washington, D.C.

2023

Less content, more context: Research as pedagogy in undergraduate mycology courses

Mycological Society of America

FL, USA

2022

The causes and consequences of fungal community structure

University of Arkansas/Missouri State University

AR/MO, USA

2018


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